Congressman Mike Lawler Reacts To Congestion Toll Termination

By Idy Perl

It seems the latest victim of Trump’s deportations might just be the very unpopular Manhattan congestion toll.

According to a letter Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is set to deliver to Governor Hochul today, the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration will be immediately terminating the approval for the congestion toll.

The letter outlines several justifications for ending the toll. Firstly, it runs counter to the federal highway aid program, which prohibits tolling on roads that were built with federal funds, unless Congress grants an approval, which did not happen in this case. The exception to that rule is the VPPP, or Value Pricing Pilot Program, which allows tolls to be set to reduce congestion. However, this congestion toll rate was set with the purpose of raising funds for the MTA and not to reduce congestion.

In addition, the toll is unprecedented in that it doesn’t provide any toll-free alternative route for drivers who must use a car.

“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” Duffy said. “Every American should be able to access New York City regardless of their economic means. It shouldn’t be reserved for an elite few.”

Congressman Mike Lawler, who has been advocating for the end of the toll, released the following statement after the news broke. 

“I want to extend my sincere thanks to President Trump and his Administration for taking swift and decisive action to suspend Kathy Hochul’s disastrous congestion pricing scheme,” Lawler said . “This is a huge win for New York families, commuters, and small businesses ruthlessly targeted by this unjust tax.

“Make no mistake: this entire program is nothing more than a scam — a money grab — and is the symptom of a far deeper, systemic issue in our state - government overreach and rampant mismanagement at the hands of Kathy Hochul and her cronies in Albany,” Congressman Lawler concluded . “Instead of imposing new, crippling taxes on struggling families, we should be auditing the MTA, the worst-run authority in America, to find savings, address its outrageous waste, and make sure that commuters are kept safe and served as well as they deserve.”